


Leather Jacket, Collar Popped Like Antennae

by Tlspenthusiast



Category: Arctic Monkeys, MATTLEX
Genre: AHH, Greaser AU, M/M, Risky lmao, So yeah, in the 60s, they gay
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-20
Updated: 2016-09-26
Packaged: 2018-08-16 10:29:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,322
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8098708
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tlspenthusiast/pseuds/Tlspenthusiast
Summary: Mattlex greaser au basically ayyy





	1. •One•

Walking swiftly out the school building, Alex sighed. He flicked his head to the side to get a piece of hair that was covering his eye out the way and stuffed his hands into the pockets of his leather jacket. Alex could hear his teacher shouting after him, but that soon stopped as he stepped outside.

The autumn sun beat down on him as he walked home. He was the only one outside as far as he could see; almost everyone in the neighborhood was in school or working. He knew his mom was going to be pissed at what Alex just did, but at the moment, he didn't really care.

When he opened the door to the small house he and his mom lived in, Alex's mom stood up, looking angry.

"They called me."

"Okay. So I don't have to explain," Alex said, starting to walk towards his room.

His mom grabbed his arm. "Oh, yes you do, Alex. What the hell? You dropped out?"

"Technically, I didn't drop out, I just walked out, but yeah. I'm not going back," Alex announced, his attitude flaring. 

"Jesus, Alex! Are you serious? Do you think we have the money for you to drop out of school? I can't believe you," his mom mumbled the last part. 

"I've been saving up money for the past two and a half years, Mom, I think I have enough to keep us stable for a while. I'm gonna get a job, ya know."

"Who's gonna hire a 17-year-old dropout? Hope you like working at the gas station," his mom burst out. Immediately after, she seemed to regret what she said.

Alex shook his head slowly, walking to his room. The only sound in the house was the clicking of Alex's boots on the wood floor and the swish-swish of the leather of his jacket.

He slammed his bedroom door shut and sighed, flopping down on his bed. For the first time that afternoon, he thought about what he'd just done.

He dropped out of school. He was in his senior year anyway, there wasn't much else to do. Thinking back on it, Alex couldn't think of a reason he actually did it. He blamed it on spite and stress.

Now that he had nothing to do, he decided to visit Matt. Matt was a year older than him, and graduated high school a year earlier. He worked at the record shop in town.

Alex knew that facing his mother might not be the brightest idea at the moment, so he slid his window open and climbed out the side of the house. His window was only around four and a half feet off the ground; the house was rather small.

He walked through the field behind his house, which was a bit of a shortcut to the main part of the little town they lived in. He knew his boyfriend would certainly be surprised, if not a bit disappointed in him, but he could take it. It was for his own good.

When he walked into the small shop, there was only one person quietly flipping through the dusty vinyls.

The small bell above the door rang, and Matt's head shot up.

"Alex? Shouldn't you be in school? It's only one-thirty," he asked as Alex made his way up to the counter. "I, uh, dropped out," Alex replied, his voice doing a little decrescendo. 

Matt raised his eyebrows. "You actually dropped out of school? Seriously?"

Alex nodded, looking down. He could sass anyone but Matt. That's probably the reason him and Matt were dating; if Alex wasn't so soft around him, he would've probably been kicked to the curb ages ago.

"But y'know, I can get a job, earn money, tha' knows. My mom kinda freaked out on me though." 

"Ah, Al, I'd expect so. You kinda just threw your education away." "It's not like I was smart anyway, Matt. Have you seem my grades? I'm surprised they didn't kick me out first."

"Don't talk about yourself like that, Alex. You're an amazing writer...just not anything else!" Matt said jokingly, following by Alex laughing and nodding.

"So, ya wanna stay at mine tonight, so ya don't piss your mom off more?" Matt said, smiling. Alex nodded. 

"Alright. My shift'll be over in a bit, just hang out here till then, yeah?" Alex nodded again. When Matt looked down at some paper on the counter, Alex swung himself over the counter, landing beside his boyfriend.

"You could have just, I dunno, walked around, ya know. It would've taken two seconds," Matt glanced up at him. "Yeah, but that way was funner." "More fun," Matt corrected, laughing.

Alex waved him off and sat in a chair that was against a wall. He propped his feet up on the counter. "Who do ya think ya are, the president?" Matt laughed, pushing Alex's boots off the counter.

For the next hour of Matt's shift, nobody else came in except for the occasional soc girls looking for someone to flirt with.

In the small town, there were two groups - greasers and socs. "Soc" was short for Socials, also known as the higher class. The socs were the rich kids, the ones with perfect families and a good education. Greasers, on the other hand, lived on the opposite side of town as the socs. The greasers were less fortunate; the ones who hung around in gangs and robbed from stores and rode in rusty pickup trucks. They were the ones who wore leather jackets, boots, and hair grease.

Alex, Matt, and most of the people who lived in their neighborhoods were greasers. Alex wasn't really a fan of the hair grease, though; he preferred to let his hair fall around and in his face. Matt used a bit of it, to slick his hair back.

The soc girls came up to the counter, leaning on it with their elbows. One of them looked at Alex. "Hi," she said with a flirty tone, "Can you help us find something?" She said, batting her eyelashes in the usual way soc girls did if they wanted something - or someone.

"I dunno, I don't work here," Alex grinned, knowing just how to tick the girls off. Alex did admit, he was attractive. He knew, Matt told him all the time, as well as the girls who always flirted with him.

The girl looked aggravated. "Well, you can still help us, right?" "Nope," Alex said, popping the "p". "But you can ask my good ol' pal here, Matt," he said, patting Matt on the shoulder. Matt grinned, playing along.

The other girl straightened up. "Agh, let's just go," she said to her friend. The other rolled her eyes and walked out, but not before giving Alex a certain finger. Alex laughed and returned the favor.

Matt laughed too and shook his head. "Socs," he muttered.

 

As soon as Matt's shift was over, Alex grabbed his hand and led him out the door. "C'mon, I'm a free man now! I don't have to spend eight hours trapped in hell! I can stay out late and not have to get up early!" He said excitedly.

"Hold on there, Ally boy -" "Don't call me that-" "Ya still gotta get a job," Matt continued, ignoring the protests towards the nickname. "I know that, and I'm gonna get one. I'll still be responsible, ya know."

"Good. Anyway, whaddya want for lunch, I know you didn't eat any. You're usually hyper cause all you bring are candy bars," Matt pointed out. "Hey! I eat bananas, too!" Alex said. Matt laughed, nodding.

"Can we go to Dairy Queen?" Alex asked, looking up at Matt, even though he wasn't much taller than him when Alex had his boots on. Matt nodded.

"C'mon, I'm starving!" Alex said, practically dragging his boyfriend in the direction of the small diner.


	2. •Two•

Alex and Matt walked in comfortable silence to Dairy Queen. It was only a couple blocks away, which was quite fortunate, for neither of them had a car. Most greasers didn't, actually; cars were mainly used by socs. They were the only ones who could really afford them.

As they reached the restaurant, Alex perked up. His friend, Jamie, was behind the counter; he'd evidently gotten a job there.

As Matt opened the door, Jamie looked up to see Alex and Matt. A wave of realization hit him, though, as he saw what time it was. 

"Alex? School let out early?" Jamie asked, figuring that would be the only reason Alex wasn't in school at the time. Alex shook his head. "Dropped out."

Jamie blinked. "You dropped out? For real?" He asked, leaning on his elbows on the counter. Alex scratched the back of his head. "Yeah. 'Dunno why, looking back at it. I was just a bit pissed, I think," he said, laughing slightly. 

Jamie smirked. "Well, it's not like ya would've graduated anyway. We've all seen your grades!" He laughed, along with Alex and Matt.

"Anyway," Jamie said after a moment, "who's this with ya?" He nodded his head in Matt's direction. 

"Oh! You two've never met, huh? Alright, Matt, this is my friend Jamie, and Jamie, this is my boyfriend, Matt," Alex said hurriedly.

"Ohhh, so this is the one you're always talkin' about," Jamie teased. Alex blushed, and Matt laughed. "I don't talk about him all the time!" Alex protested, drawing out the "all". 

"Whatever, Loverboy. Ya do. Anyway, what can I get for you guys?" He said, finally resuming to his job. "I gotta get paid, ya know."

Matt laughed. "Uh, just a cheeseburger and a Pepsi, please," he said. "You know what I want, Cookie," Alex said; him and Jamie would always go to Dairy Queen on holiday breaks.

Jamie nodded. He disappeared behind a door for a bit, so Alex and Matt went to go sit down.

They chose a booth by the old music player against a window so Alex could spend half the time playing songs, as Matt had learned he always did. 

Soon, a girl came with their food. She couldn't have been older than Alex. "Here ya go! Thanks for coming to Dairy Queen!" She said in a cheery voice, as if she actually liked working in a restaurant for ten hours a day. 

While Matt ate, Alex, of course, was leaned over the booth, playing an unnecessary amount of songs by The Beatles. "Al, your food's gonna get cold," Matt laughed. "Oh, right, food," Alex muttered. He was always getting distracted by little things.

By the time Alex had gone through three milkshakes and a lot more extra fries, Alex had overplayed the jukebox, which was now temporarily out of order. "Jesus, Al, how does a person even manage to do that?" Matt said, giggling. Alex shrugged. 

Matt took Alex's hand as they walked outside, which, in retrospect, definitely wasn't a good idea. Ah, the 60s - the decade of agonizing homophobia. 

Of course, Matt didn't think about this - until a couple of socs showed up behind them. The two didn't notice until one of them threw a soda bottle at Matt's head. "Hey! The hell?" Matt exclaimed, looking back. There were four socs standing in a line.

"Who's that, Helders, your boyfriend?" One of them spat at him. The con of living and working in such a small town - everyone knows you. 

Matt gripped Alex's hand tighter, and Alex straightened his back, trying to look brave.

"Yeah. He is."

The socs laughed. "Oh, you're so stupid. Just gonna admit it? Admit that you screw around with guys?" The soc that threw the bottle at Matt's head said. 

"Actually, I like guys and girls, so-" Alex was cut off by the same soc. "Shut up, you. You're screwing a guy right now, right?"

Alex's eyes darkened. "Just go away," Matt tried calmly. One of the socs laughed. "'Go away'? Funny."

Matt looked at Alex, who immediately looked back at him. Then, they did the most illogical action ever - they ran.

They took off in the blink of an eye, still holding each other's hands. The closest place to hide was behind a drugstore. Alex panted as they pressed themselves against the brick wall. 

He looked at Matt. He looked calm, a little too calm for the situation. "Matt," Alex whispered, looking around, "aren't you, I dunno, scared? I think one of them had a knife." "Nah. I'm used to this, Al. Plus, I highly doubt they'd actually use a knife."

As he said that, the two heard a mess of footsteps coming down the street. As the shadows approached, Matt saw the gleam of late afternoon light on something sharp and metal. He cursed under his breath.

He squeezed Alex's hand even tighter, and kissed him on the cheek. He mouthed to him, 'It's gonna be okay,' seeing as Alex had a terrified look on his face. He was trembling.

Matt looked Alex in the eyes, and Alex got the message. Matt counted on his fingers - 1, 2, 3! - and again, they ran from behind the building.

The socs were right there, and as Matt passed them, he knocked the blade out of the one who had it's hand.

Alex and Matt ran nonstop to Matt's house. They stopped and leaned against the bricks breathlessly when they got to Matt's house.

Matt lived on his own; he moved out when he was 17, a normal age in their neighborhood. His house was quite small, with only one bedroom, a living room, kitchen, and bathroom. Alex found it very cozy.

Matt led Alex inside. Both of them let themselves fall onto the couch. "That was an eventful night," Alex said, exhausted from so much running and adrenaline.

Matt just nodded sleepily and hummed in agreement. 

Seeing that Matt was already halfway asleep, Alex drifted off too, the day's events slipping away from his mind. "G'night, Matt," he mumbled.


End file.
